Report acts as 'baseline' for Australia's decade-long WHS strategy
Safe Work Australia has unveiled a new report outlining the work health and safety landscape across the country as of 2023 to act as a baseline for the country's decade-long WHS strategy.
The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033 Baseline Report was released to present the baseline WHS context for Australia in 2023.
This is the starting year for the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033, which seeks to reduce worker fatalities, injuries, and illnesses across the country over the next decade.
The baseline report pulls insights from a range of data sources to illustrate the focus areas for action over the next 10 years, according to Safe Work Australia.
"The report also explores a set of measurable targets aimed at driving systemic improvements in WHS outcomes," it said in a media release.
Further information about the main datasets used in the report is included in an accompanying document, the agency added.
"This includes how progress against each target will be measured, an introduction to the crucial evidence needed to build a complete picture of WHS, and guidance about how to interpret the data," Safe Work Australia said.
Australian WHS Strategy 2023-2033
Australia's decade-long WHS strategy seeks sets on a major goal of reducing worker fatalities, injuries, and illness in line with its vision of "safe and healthy work for all."
Among its targets include reducing:
- Worker fatalities caused by traumatic injuries by 30%
- The frequency rate of serious claims resulting in one or more weeks off work by 20%
- The frequency rate of claims resulting in permanent impairment by 15%
- The overall incidence of work-related injury or illness among workers to below 3.5%
- The frequency rate of work-related respiratory disease by 20%
Another target is to not have new cases of accelerated silicosis by 2033, according to Safe Work Australia.
